UCM Meeting Reminder Next meeting will be on Wednesday 1st February at 7:45pm in the Upper Room. We will welcome a speaker this evening. Alter Servers  and IMPACT Group Next meeting will be Friday 3rd February 2012 from 6:30pm to 8:00pm in the Upper Room. All welcome! 'Can you spend one hour with me?' Every Friday evening in the Convent Chapel there is Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament and Rosary from 8:00pm to 9:00pm. Why not come and join us in prayer. Please support our Bookshop! After Mass pop in and see the new available stock; All are welcome!	.: home       .: services       .: news/events       .: contacts       .: links Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament Need time for silence and peace to pray? We have a special time on Saturday mornings at 11:00am to 11:45am. For prayer before the Blessed Sacrament. Come along for a few minutes of prayer. Crib Offerings Thank you for the generous offerings made at the Crib over Christmas. Your offerings will be sent to the Cabrini Children's Society. The Queen's Diamond Jubilee Churches Together and Friends of Beulieu Heights will be planting 60 saplings in Beulieu Heights on Saturday 4th February from 10:30am to 3:00pm. Bring welly boots / gloves and give a hand. Please put your name in the Porch. Refreshments provided. Churches Together in Upper Norwood The Annual Forum Meeting will be held at All Saints Church, South Norwood Hill on Sunday 22nd January at 4:30pm. Followed by a service of prayer for Christian Unity. Please go along and meet your neighbours from the local Churches. Do something special this Lent! Come to the Life in the Spirit Seminars at Sydenham. "A way of experiencing a strong sense of prayer and community and the power of the Holy Spirit" says Bishop Lynch ss.cc. On Wednesday 15th February to 28th March. Starting at 8:00pm in the Parish Hall. Mass in the Church at 7:30pm (optional). Light of Christ Prayer Gp. Parish Hall, Our Lady and St. Philip Neri, 208 Sydenham Road, SE26 SSE. Telephone number available from the Parish Office. Mission as Service A presentation by Bishop John Sherrington for young adults aged 18 - 38 years, starting at 7:00pm on Friday 27th January in the Hinsley Room next to Westminster Cathedral. For more information visit the events page of www.free2become.org or call. Number available from the Parish Office. Marriage and Family Life - Familiaris Consortio - 11th February This year marks the 30th anniversary of Pope John Paul II's landmark document on the role of the Christian family. All are invited to Amigo Hall, next door to St. George's Cathedral from 1:30pm to 5:00pm. Anyone with an interest in couples and families are welcome. Admission is free, but booking is essential. For details email marriagese@tiscali.co.uk or phone (Number available from the Parish Office). Justice and Peace Group Next meeting is on Monday 23rd January at 7:30pm in the Crying Chapel. All are welcome! Confirmation Programme Meeting with candidates at 6:30pm on Tuesday 31st January in the Upper Room. The subject will be "Can someone help?" Click here for more information regarding the Sacrament. First Holy Communion Meeting for children and parents on Saturday 4th February between 9:30am and 10:30am in the Upper Room. Focus for this session will be "God helps me make it right". Celebration Mass Sunday 5th February at 9:30am. Parents and children are expected to attend. Click here for more information regarding the Sacrament. A.B.C (About Becoming Catholics) Group. Next meeting will be on Monday 23rd January from 7:45pm to 9:00pm. (Tea and coffee from 7:30pm). Please be prompt. Please note that you must only attend if you have already seen Canon Michael, and are in the group. Please pray for all those who have recently started in the A.B.C. Group and all those who are supporting them. Click here for more details regarding the Sacrament. Next Baptism Meeting On Saturday 11th February at 10:00am in the Crying Chapel. (Entrance through brown door near steps). For parents of babies who wish to have them baptised. Parents of older children should contact Canon Michael through the Parish Office. At this meeting the meaning of the Sacrament is explained and the responsibilities of parents and godparents. Parents should be attending Mass and live within the area of Upper Norwood. Please note that either parent can attend, or arrangements should be made to have babies looked after, so as to give their full attention to the meeting. Click here for more details regarding the Sacrament. Are we showing respect to the Holy Eucharist? We are encouraged to receive Holy Communion under both kinds; the Sacred Host and from the Chalice. We should always approach the Eucharist with reverence and utmost care. We should always put the host straight into our mouths, and never walk away with it in our hand. The chalice should be taken carefully with both hands, and given back slowly to the Eucharistic minister. Please if you have a cold do not take from the chalice. It is the instruction of the Bishops that people do not dip the host into the Chalice. Parents are reminded to ensure that children who have not made their Holy Communion cross their arms over their chest as a sign for a blessing. Likewise, those who are not members of the Catholic Church are welcome to have a blessing. Before and after Mass remember that Jesus is present in the Tabernacle. Make this a time to talk to Him. Please refrain from conversations in Church so as to make our Church a house of prayer. Talk to each other in the Porch or have a coffee after Mass. When we enter or leave Church acknowledge the real presence of Jesus, by bending your knee as a sign that He is with us in the Tabernacle, and that He is to be loved and adored above everything in our lives. On Saturday mornings we have a special time of Eucharistic adoration from 11:00am to 11:45am. Feel welcome to come and spend some moments in prayer. Wheat Allergy and The Eucharist If you suffer from an allergy to wheat and require to receive Holy Communion in the form of gluten-free hosts, please let the Priest or Sacristan know BEFORE the Mass has started, so as provision can be made for you. Franciscan Fraternity Meeting - Inspired by St. Francis of Assisi? You are invited to the Fraternity monthly meeting of the Secular Franciscan Order on Sunday 22nd January between 2:30pm to 4:30pm in the St. Mary's parish Room, Wellesley Road, Croydon. Everybody is welcome - just come! Retreat weekend for young adults (20's and 30's) Theme will be "Lord, let my prayer rise before you". Dates will be from Friday 10th February to Sunday 12th February. Location is Salford. Cost: Any donation welcome. The weekend will provide opportunity for prayer, reflection and discussion with other young catholic adults. Contact Sister Mary Anne fcj. Contact details through the Parish Office. Anna Chapman Sings! A recital featuring a wonderful selection of operatic arias to be held in St. Barnabas Chapel, Croydon University Hospital. On Sunday 12th February at 3:00pm. No charge, but reserving a place is advised. Telephone number available from the Parish Office. Free parking also available. The Gospel of Mark Brian Purfield Six week course Mondays from 9th January to 13th February from 11:00am to 1:00pm. At Mount Street W1K 3AH. Go to www.mountstreet.info for more details. Telephone number available from the parish Office. An overview of mark's Gospel - the Gospel of the Sunday Cycle of Lectionary Readings this year - pointing out the meaning of the Gospel in it's original context and offering leads to how this Gospel can connect with Christian life today. Repeated Wednesdays from 11th January to 15th February from 7:00pm to 8:30pm. Ambo/Lectern We have now in place the prototype of the new Ambo / Lectern, this is a wooden version to give an idea of scale and practical use. The final Ambo/Lectern will be made of marble to match the tabernacle, font and alter. Comments on improvements or design would be welcome; especially from readers. Please email Canon Michael, so as alterations can be made, if possible. Does your child attend Children's Liturgy at 9:30am or 11:00am Mass? If so, perhaps you would like to join the Children's Liturgy Team in the new term starting in September? It only takes about 20 minutes of your time; maybe once or twice a month. (less if we can arrange more teams). Why not speak to a member of the team to find out what is involved, or come and sit in on one of the sessions and see how easy it is. We would welcome help from dads, mums, older brothers / sisters and grandparents. These sessions enable children up to the age of 7/8 (who have not made their First Holy Communion) to access the Liturgy of the Word. Because of child protection issues each member must be CRB checked. Canon Michael arranges the completion of the forms and will contact helpers with a date. There must be three (3) named adults leading each session, and at the moment we are struggling to have three (3) members at any one time, this sometime leads to cancelled sessions which is unfair on the children who attend. The team really do need more volunteers to come and join as it would be sad for our Church, if Children's Liturgy had to stop because of lack of help. So why not think about it over the Summer Holidays (or call us now), and if you are interested please do come along in September, or speak to any member of the team. There are contact details at the back of the Church on the notice board. New Stock in Church Bookshop The Southwark Catholic Directories are now available in the book shop. Cost £3.00. Support our shop where you can. Thank You. Virgo Fidelis Preparatory School Open Day Wednesday 1st February from 9:30am to 3:00pm. An independent Catholic School for boys and girls aged from 3 to 11 years of age. All faiths welcome. Call 020 8653 2169 or email office@vfps.org. A Reminder Are you or a relation or friend going into hospital? Make sure you register your details on admission that you state you are a Roman Catholic, and that you would like a priest in an emergency. This information should be passed to the Roman Catholic Chaplain. This will ensure that you are visited whilst in hospital. All emergencies are dealt with by the hospital Chaplain. Christian Mothers Association Meeting every 2nd Sunday of the month between 1:00pm and 3:00pm in the Upper Room. Hymn Books It's easy to put a hymn book under your arm and forget to leave it in Church! If you find that you have one at home, please return it to Church, as we are getting very short of them. Just leave it in the bookshelf in the Porch. Many thanks. Parking on Central Hill Please show consideration to our neighbours when parking. Do not park across driveways or entrances and do not park in the disabled bays unless you have a badge. Please use the Church car park off Hermitage Road (or you could be green and leave the car at home). Careless parking can cause serious accidents. Gift Aid Scheme / Standing Orders Contributions Do you contribute through a standing order with your bank to support our Parish? If so, have you disclosed this under under Gift Aid? This will increase the value of your donation by signing a Gift Aid Declaration. Please contact Claire Line or Canon Michael. CRB Application It is a legal requirement for anybody working with children or vulnerable adults to have a CRB check completed. Many volunteers in the Parish have already completed their applications and have their forms. Anybody who has not completed an application for their voluntary role should contact Gina (phone number available from Parish Office) for advice and assistance with the process, and obtaining the applications. On Sunday 11th April, between 10:00am and 12:00pm Noon, there will be a drop in at the Presbytery 143 Central Hill, for people to come with their applications, and for advice and support. Many thanks for your continued support and time. Children's Liturgy This is just a note to remind everyone about the Children's Liturgy. The Children's Liturgy Group is set up to enable children from 3 years old up to the age of 7 / 8 years (who have not made their First Holy Communion) to access the Liturgy of the Word in a child friendly way. We have a very short time period to try to ensure the children not only leave us having gained some understanding of the Gospel, but to have also enjoyed the session. To help us with this we would ask that: 1.   When Canon Michael calls for the children to come forward we would appreciate it if you could encourage your children to come out promptly. 2.   Unless your child is very young, and still needs you with them, please send them in on their own as our space is limited, and having parents in the room can sometimes be a distraction, for not only the children, but for the Group trying to take the session. However, if you are coming into the Children's Liturgy Room perhaps you would like to join the team; we are a very small group and really would appreciate more parents signing up. If you would like more information about joining the Group, and what is involved, please speak to any member of the team. We thank you in advance for your assistance in this matter. The Children's Liturgy Group Parent's with children in years 4, 5 & 6 of Junior School The admissions policy of Catholic Secondary Schools will only require a Priest to base his reference on Sunday Mass attendance, with no other information required. Therefore to ensure that this information is accurate and verifiable, parents are asked to fill out a slip on certain Sunday's of the year and return these to Canon Michael personally after Mass. The information will be stored and will be evidence of Mass attendance, if required by the schools. This information will be required from all year groups, so as to give a pattern of attendance. Slips will not be issued during school holidays. Parents are reminded that attendance at Sunday Mass is part of the responsibility they undertook for their children at Baptism, and is an expression of living out our Catholic faith in the Eucharist. Parents who are not able to attend Mass for reasons of health or other circumstances should inform Canon Michael. Booking Masses A reminder about booking a Mass at Virgo Fidelis Church. Please use the brown envelope and put the offering inside. At least 2 months notice should be given as Masses get booked in advance. We will try to get the date asked for but sometimes this is not always possible. Bookings for Masses should not be given over the phone, please use the envelopes provided. Getting married in 2012? If you are planning on getting married here or abroad, it is the policy of the Diocese that you give at least 6 months notice of your marriage, so that sufficient preparations can be made. This also includes couples who are intending to get married abroad. Please contact the Parish Office to make an appointment to see Canon Michael. Click here to go to the Virgo Fidelis Church Photo's Link	Latest newsletter   Our newsletter is published every Sunday and can be collected at the rear of the church during mass times. Download the Church Newsletter The newsletter is in PDF format. If you are unable to view it you can download Adobe Reader from the link below Offertory Collections: The offertory collection supports the work of our Parish. Thank you for your generosity. The Church of the Faithful Virgin (Virgo Fidelis)supports Traidcraft. Traidcraft Website Link